IN BRIEF

NUNS URGE SENATORS TO REJECT OBAMACARE REPEAL

Thousands of American nuns have signed a letter to senators asking them to reject the Republican plan to bring up a health care bill this week that they say is “immoral and contrary to the teachings of our Catholic faith.”

The Catholic sisters — led by Sister Simone Campbell who was a vocal advocate for passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 — will deliver their letter Monday and plan to personally visit key Catholic senators to ask them to oppose the health care bill.

The letter, organized by NETWORK, a Catholic social justice lobby and signed by more than 7,000 U. S. sisters, asks senators to vote against any motion to bring up “any bill that would repeal the ACA and cut Medicaid.”

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R- Ky., said he plans to bring a health care bill to the floor this week, but it is not clear which one. SCARAMUCCI: TRUMP HAS NO NEED TO PARDON HIMSELF

Hitting the Sunday shows to promote his boss, the new leader of President Trump’s revamped communications team said Trump has no need to pardon himself or any associates because they have done nothing wrong regarding Russia.

White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, speaking two days after his appointment, vowed to change the White House public relations approach, telling Fox News Sunday that Trump is “one of the most effective communicators that’s ever been born. And we’re going to make sure that we get that message out directly to the American people.”

During various network appearances, Scaramucci and other officials also said Trump reserves the right to raise conflict of interest claims against Russia special counsel Robert Mueller, should it become necessary. Trump and aides have complained that lawyers on Mueller’s team have made contributions to 2016 Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.